Dust funnel

Abstract

A cleaning device has a funnel-shaped body with a rotatable door held in an opening, adjacent a handle connected to the body. The door includes a trigger for opening the door, and the handle and body are angled for ease in collecting and dumping debris.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A dust funnel, comprising: 
       a bottom panel having a front edge, a pair of side edges and a substantially narrower back edge;  
       a pair of outwardly angled side walls secured to the pair of side edges so as to converge toward the narrower back edge;  
       an angled and tapered top panel secured to top surfaces of the pair of outwardly angled side walls;  
       a handle secured to the angled and tapered top panel;  
       a door rotatably secured in the handle between the front edge and the back edge so as to close an opening formed between the angled and tapered top panel and the pair of outwardly angled side walls; and  
       a trigger secured to the door adjacent a further opening formed in the handle; the trigger being movable to open the door.  
     
     
       2. The dust funnel of  claim 1  wherein the handle is secured at an angle of between 10° to 40° from the bottom panel. 
     
     
       3. The dust funnel of  claim 2  wherein the door is rotatable approximately 60°. 
     
     
       4. The dust funnel of  claim 3  wherein the trigger is sized and dimensioned to pass through the further opening formed in the handle. 
     
     
       5. The dust funnel of  claim 4  wherein the outwardly angled side walls and the angled and tapered top panel are angled with respect to the bottom panel between 25° to 45°. 
     
     
       6. The dust funnel of  claim 1  wherein the door has two angled portions and is movable through an angle of approximately 60°. 
     
     
       7. The dust funnel of  claim 6  wherein the outwardly angled side walls taper toward the back edge and the side walls and the angled and tapered top panel are angled with respect to the bottom panel between 25° to 45°. 
     
     
       8. The dust funnel of  claim 7  wherein the handle is U-shaped in cross section and is secured at an angle of between 10° to 40° with respect to the bottom panel. 
     
     
       9. The dust funnel of  claim 8  wherein a plurality of dust funnels may be stacked together with their U-shaped handles nested together. 
     
     
       10. A cleaning device comprising: 
       a body having a generally funnel shape;  
       the body having a substantially flat bottom panel with a substantially narrower rear edge, a substantially wider front edge and a pair of angled side edges;  
       a pair of angled side walls secured along the pair of angled side edges;  
       the angled side walls being substantially triangular in shape with top portions;  
       a top panel secured to top surfaces of the pair of angled side walls so as to extend from the top portions toward the narrower rear edge;  
       an opening formed in the top panel between the pair of angled side walls;  
       a handle secured to the top panel at an angle with respect to the substantially flat bottom panel;  
       a door rotatably secured in the handle, between the top portions and the substantially narrower rear edge to open and close an opening formed in the top panel and the pair of angled side walls;  
       a trigger secured to the door adjacent a further opening formed in the handle; and  
       a spring mounted on a pin holding the door in the handle to bias the door to a closed position sealing the opening.  
     
     
       11. The cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein the handle is secured at an angle of between 10° to 40° from the bottom panel. 
     
     
       12. The cleaning device of  claim 11  wherein the door is rotatable approximately 60°. 
     
     
       13. The cleaning device of  claim 12  wherein the trigger is sized and dimensioned to pass through the further opening formed in the handle. 
     
     
       14. The cleaning device of  claim 13  wherein the angled side walls and the top panel are angled with respect to the bottom panel between 25° to 45°. 
     
     
       15. The cleaning device of  claim 10  wherein the door has two angled portions and is movable through an angle of approximately 60°. 
     
     
       16. The cleaning device of  claim 15  wherein the angled side walls taper toward the rear edge and the side walls and the top panel are angled with respect to the bottom panel between 25° to 45°. 
     
     
       17. The cleaning device of  claim 16  wherein the handle is U-shaped in cross section and is secured at an angle of between 10° to 40° with respect to the bottom panel. 
     
     
       18. The cleaning device of  claim 17  wherein a plurality of cleaning devices may be stacked together with their U-shaped handles nested together. 
     
     
       19. A cleaning device comprising: 
       a body having a generally funnel shape;  
       the body having a substantially flat bottom panel with a substantially narrower rear edge, a substantially wider front edge and a pair of angled side edges;  
       a pair of angled side walls secured along the pair of angled side edges;  
       the angled side walls being substantially triangular in shape with top portions;  
       a top panel secured to top surfaces of the pair of angled side walls so as to extend from the top portions toward the narrower rear edge at an angle of approximately 30°;  
       an opening formed in the top panel between the pair of angled side walls;  
       a U-shaped handle secured to the top panel at an angle of approximately 20° with respect to the substantially flat bottom panel;  
       a door having two angled portions rotatably mounted in the handle in an opening formed in the top panel, between the top portions and the substantially narrower rear edge; the door being movable through an angle of approximately 60°;  
       a trigger secured to the door adjacent a further opening formed in the handle; and  
       a spring mounted on a pin rotatably holding the door in the handle to bias the door to a closed position sealing the opening.  
     
     
       20. The cleaning device of  claim 19  wherein a plurality of cleaning devices may be stacked together with their U-shaped handles nested together.